Golf shoe spike



1949 M. J. ZALESKI ET AL 2,491,596

GOLF SHOE SPIKE Filed May 5, 1949 3nvento1 M/TCHELL' d ZALESKI ;5

7,7 Gtterneg Patented Dec. 20, 1949 UNITED STATES QFFICE GOLF SHOE SPIKE Mitchell ll. Zaleski and Robert L. Richards, Chicago, Ill.

6 (Claims.

The present invention relates to golf shoes and is concerned primarily with the spikes which ordinarily are carried by the sole of such a shoe.

In the playing of the now popular game of golf, shoes which carry spikes are ordinarily worn so as to afford to the wearer a firm gripping engagement with the ground. Such spikes ordinarily project beneath the exposed surface of the sole so as to penetrate the turf on which the wearer is standing. Just so long as a player continues to tread on soft turf no particular hardship is encountered due to the presence of these spikes. However, as a player walks over the golf course he often stops on rocks and hard packed surfaces and on those occasions the new conventional spikes constitute a s rious menace to the players well being and disposition in that an appreciable shock or jar is transmitted through the spike to the wearers foot.

With the spikes now available, the force of such shocks and jars are transmitted through a direct unyielding path from the spike to the shoe.

With. foregoing conditions in mind, the present invention has in view as its foremost objective, the provision of a spike for golf shoes which. includes a yielding element which is adapted to function as a shock absorber, and thereby greatly minimize these shocks and jars which are transmitted to the wearer when he walks over hard surfaces.

More in detail, the invention has as an object, the provision of a spike assembly for golf shoes which consists essentially of a main plate having a threaded tubular stein for anchoring the same to the sole of a golf shoe. Received in the tubular stern of this plate is the shank of a spike and the latter carries an auxiliary plate that is spaced from the main plate. Interposed between the main and auxiliary plates is a rubber washer which is adapted to function as a shock absorber and which permits of a certain amount of play or movement between the respective plates.

A somewhat more detailed object of the invention is the provision, in a golf spike assembly of the type noted, of novel means for securely anchoring the plate aforesaid in position on the shoe sole. in carrying out this object, the face of this plate which engages the sole carries a serrated peripheral rim, the teeth of which bite into sole to afford a good anchorage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a modified form of golf spike assembly in which there is no interlock between the ma n plate and the auxiliary or spike plate other than the rubber cushion which is permanently bonded to the two.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a further modification in which the main plate aforesaid carries on its peripheral edges, fingers which interlock with the auxiliary or spike 2 plate and hold the latter and rubber cushion in assembled relation.

Various other more detailed objects and ad vantages of the invention such as arise in connection with carrying out the above noted ideas in a practical embodiment will, in part become apparent, and in part be hereinafter stated as the description of the invention proceeds.

The invention, therefore, comprises a spike for golf shoes which consists essentially of a main plate that is anchored to the shoe sole, an auxiliary or spike plate which carries the spike, a rubleer cushion which is interposed between these plates, and means for maintaining the assembled relation of the plates and rubber cushion.

For a full and more complete understanding of the invention, reference may be had to the following description and accompanying drawing wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of .a spike for golf shoes designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention.

Figure 2 a bottom plan view of the spike shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical section through the assembly of Figure 1 being taken about on the plane represented by the line 33 of Figure 1.

Figure l is a vertical section comparable to Figure 3 of a modification.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of another modification; and

Figure 6 is a section through a portion of a golf shoe depicting the manner in which one of the spikes of this invention is secured thereto.

Referring now to the drawing wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts, and first more particularly to Figure 1, 2, and 3. A spike for golf shoes which is designed in accordance with the precepts of this invention is shown as consisting of the assembly of parts illustrated. This assembly is made up of the following elements: a main plate M, an auxiliary or spike plate A, a rubber cushion C, and a spike S.

The main plate M consists of a circular disc of metal having a lower face at it which engages the cushion C. Extending around the periphery of this disc on the face opposite to the face it is a rim it which is serrated as represented at E2. Upstanding from the central portion of the main plate M is a tubular sleeve is which is exteriorly threaded as shown at is. These threads is are intended to be screwed into a metal ferrule which is shown at 15 in Figure 6, and which are ordinarily included in the soles of golf shoes. The serrations l2 are intended to bite into the exposed lower face of the sole such as shown at It in Figure 6.

The cushion C is of a washer like construction that is defined by a rubber pad which is formed with a central opening at I! which aligns with 3 the bore of the sleeve H3. The upper face of this cushion C engages the face of the plate M while the opposite face engages the inner face of the auxiliary or spike plate A.

The spike plate A is also of a washer like construction defined by a central opening E5 which is in alignment with the opening ll. The spike S has a shank is which passes through the aligned openings El and i8 and the bore of the sleeve l3. The upper end of this shank i9 is peened or riveted as indicated at El? with the enlarged portion engaging the free end of the sleeve H3. The opposite end of the shank is carries the spike point 2! which terminates at a flange 2?. which bears against the plate A.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 6, it will be noted that the conventional golf shoe ordinarily includes an outer sole 23 and an inner sole 24, This outer sole 23 is provided with an appropriate number of openings 25, each of which is lined with a metal ferrule l5 with the bore of the ferrule threaded. A number of the above described spikes which corresponds to the number of openings 25 is assembled on the sole 23 by screwing each threaded sleeve i3 into the respective ferrule l5 and continuing the screwillg action until the serrations l2 are firmly imbedded in the exposed surface iii. In so positioning the spikes, an appropriate tool such as a wrench may be employed in conjunction with the recesses shown at 9 which are formed in the spike plate A. It will be noted that in this assembled relation, the head so of the spike shank i9 is spaced below the inner sole 24 to accommodate a certain amount of movement on the part of the shank and plates A and M.

Thus, when the wearer of one of these golf shoes treads on a hard surface, shocks and jars are taken up by the rubber cushion C.

Figure 4 illustrates one modification. In this form of the invention, the spike comprises three main parts; namely, a main plate Mi, an auxiliary or spike plate Al, and a rubber cushion Cl. The main plate M l is of a disc shaped construc tion and upstanding from the central portion thereof is a solid threaded stud 26 which is adapted to be screwed into one of the ferrules l5. The auxiliary plate A! has a shape corresponding to the plate Ml and extending downwardly from the central portion thereof is the spike element 51?. The rubber cushion Cl is permanently bonded to the plates Ml and Al as by vulcanization or by using an appropriate adhesive cement.

Figure 5 illustrates another modification in which the spike is made up of a main plate M2, an auxiliary or spike plate A2, a rubber cushion C2. The main plate M2 takes the form of a fiat disc from which upstands a threaded stud 28. The plate A2 is another flat disc carrying a spike element 29. The cushion C2 is interposed between the plates M2 and A2 and integrally joined to the peripheral edge of the plate Miyare aplurality of fingers 38 which extend downwardly over the edges of the cushion C 2 and plate A2. Each of these fingers 3% is formed with an inturned fiange 3% which engages the lowerface of the plate A2 and establ shes the interlock which maintain the parts assembled.

Each of the forms of invention shown'in Figures 4 and 5 is assembled with the sole of a golf shoe in the manner above described in connection with the form of invention depicted in Figure 6. While preferred specific embodiments of the invention are hereinbefore set forth, it is to 5 be clearly understood that the invention is not to be limited to the exact constructions, mechanisms and devices illustrated and described because various modifications of these details may be provided in putting the invention into practic-e within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A spike for a golf shoe comprising, in combination: a main plate, means carried by said plate for securing said plate to the sole of a golf shoe, an auxiliary plate, a spike element carried by said auxiliary plate, and a rubber cushion interposed between said plates.

2. A spike for a golf shoe comprising, in combination: a main plate consisting of a circular disc having a threaded sleeve extending outwardly from one face thereof, a rubber cushion enthe face of said plate opposite to that from which said sleeve extends, and having an opening in alignment with the bore of said. 25 sleeve, a spike plate engaging the other face of washer and having an opening in alignment wi' the said opening in said cushion, and a spike having a shank extending through said aligned openings in the bore of said sleeve, and ca rying a element projecting below said plate.

A spike for a golf shoe comprising, in combination: a main plate consisting of a circular having a threaded sleeve extending outwardirom one face thereof, said plate having an annular rib formed with radial serrations, a rubber cushion engaging the face of said plate opposite to that from which said sleeve extends, and having an opening in alignment with the bore of said sleeve, a spike plate engaging the ct face of said washer and having an opening in alignment with the said opening in said cushion, and a spike having a shank extending through said aligned openings in the bore of said sleeve, and carrying a spike element projecting below said spike plate.

A spike for a golf shoe comprising, in combinati n: a main plate having means for securing the same to the sole of a golf shoe, a spike plate carrying a spike element, and a rubber cushion interposed between and permanently bonded to said plates.

5. A spike for a golf shoe comprising, in combination: a main plate having means for securing the same to the sole of a golf shoe, a spike .ato carrying a spike element, a rubber cushion osed between said plates, and peripheral for maintaining said plates and cushion .s embled relation.

spike for a golf shoe comprising, in coml: a main plate having means for securtho to the sole of a golf shoe, a spike :1 main plate at the periphery thereof, lling downwardly over the edges of said 1 1o spike plate to which they are interoy inturned fianges.

MITCHELL J. ZALES (1. ROBERT L. RICHARDS.

No references cited. 

